L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 26 L'Italo-Americano A cynic of Italian c u i s i n e — a n o n - I t a l i a n — once observed t h a t a t y p i c a l Italian diet consists mostly of pasta, pasta, and more pasta. While it's true that most Ital- ians and many Italian-Amer- icans consume pasta by the bowlfuls on a regular basis, t h e r e a r e a l t e r n a t i v e s w h e n y o u g e t o v e r l o a d e d with spaghetti, linguine, fet- tuccine, and other noodles. Risotto and polenta are showing up in more homes in Italy and the US, and on a n i n c r e a s i n g n u m b e r o f restaurant menus. Risotto is a rice dish that lends itself to a seemingly infinite variety of prepara- tions. Polenta is cornmeal, u s u a l l y y e l l o w , t h a t ' s cooked simply in water or broth, seasoned, and served with sauce, mushrooms, or cheese alongside an entrée. In one respect, they are opposite. To cook polenta properly, you should pour the cornmeal into a simmer- ing liquid. For risotto, you need to stir the rice in a pot a s h o t b r o t h i s g r a d u a l l y added and absorbed. Both recipes require 20 to 30 min- utes of diligent attention. Neither offers the quick ease of pasta that can be boiled for several minutes, drained, and reheated in boiling water for a few minutes longer. Risotto, in particular, is b e s t w h e n m a d e f r o m scratch. When shortcuts are attempted, as often happens in busy kitchens and restau- rants, the results may not be worth serving. Just because a dish has a chic cachet doesn't mean it has to be acceptable. P l a i n w h i t e r i c e c r o w n e d with sauce is not risotto. F u r t h e r m o r e , t h e r i c e s h o u l d b e t h e p r e f e r r e d , imported long-grain Arbo- r i o t y p e . O t h e r w i s e , t h e grains will not plump up to the desired creamy al dente texture. Borrowing recipes from their Italian counter- parts, some American eater- i e s g e t d a r i n g a n d s e r v e risotto with cuttlefish in ink- black sauce that results in a dark, evil-looking dish with a briny character. Others take a more conservative route a n d m i x i t w i t h p o r c i n i CHUCK PECORARO Four categories of rice are g e n e r a l l y r e c o g n i z e d a n d m o s t c o m m o n i n I t a l y : comune (short grain), semi- fino (medium grain), fino ( l o n g g r a i n ) , a n d s u p e r - fino (extra long grain). These are the categories most com- m o n l y u s e d f o r r i s o t t o because they absorb great amounts of liquid without losing their shape. Pied- mont is the most abundant source of Northern Italy's r i c e , b u t t h e m e t h o d o f preparation in Lombardy has become the standard. O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , i n Piedmont, Valle d'Aosta, and Alto Adige, the rice may be c o v e r e d a n d i s m o r e f r e - quently left unstirred. In Venice the style is distinctly c r e a m y a n d o f a n a l m o s t f l o w i n g c o n s i s t e n c y known locally as all'onda, meaning "like a wave." Polenta, regarded more as peasant fare, is easier to handle. It's usually recom- mended as a hot appetizer or s i d e d i s h w i t h t h e m a i n course. It can be served soft and creamy straight from the pot, with a melt of Fonti- na or other cheese. Or with meaty, earthy porcini. Left- over polenta can be cooled, cut into slabs, and sautéed or baked with a topping and o f f e r e d a s a t a s t y s t a r t e r called crostini di polenta. P o l e n t a c a r r i e s s o m e mixed cultural baggage, It is s i m i l a r t o t h e c o r n m e a l m u s h k n o w n a s g r i t s i n America - synonymous with the US South - and couscous i n t h e M i d d l e E a s t . T h e interest in American region- a l c u i s i n e g i v e s p o l e n t a - influenced dishes additional appeal. A California-style restaurant in New York City named Petaluma is believed to be one of the first in the country to offer "polenta of the day." It is presented in squares with bits of mush- rooms or cheese and tomato sauce. A s f o r s e a s o n a l v a l u e , b o t h r i s o t t o a n d p o l e n t a qualify for the down-home, c o m f o r t f o o d c a t e g o r y . That's why, as a change of pace for pasta, they hit the spot on winter nights with a frosty nip in the air. Extra- long grain rice is the most expensive Italian rice: the long, sturdy grains contain less starch than the others and are preferred for dishes s u c h a s R i s o t t o a l l a Milanese (with wine and saf- fron), a classic Lombardy r e g i o n d i s h . H e r e ' s t h e recipe: R i s o t t o a l l a M i l a n e s e (Serves 6) Ingredients 2 ounces of veal or beef marrow A pinch of saffron 8 cups of hot, clear beef broth 6 ounces of butter 1 / 2 c u p o f f i n e l y d i c e d onions 3 cups of Arborio rice 1 cup of dry white wine 1 c u p o f g r a t e d P a r m i - giano A pinch of white pepper. Directions Soak the marrow in salted cold water for about 2 hours, then cut it into small pieces and set aside. Dissolve the saffron in 1/2 cup of hot beef broth, then heat 3 ounces of butter in a 3-quart casserole and cook the onions until transparent; add the marrow and rice, t h e n s t i r w i t h a w o o d e n spoon until the rice is glazed. Stir in the wine and cook until it evaporates. A d d 3 c u p s o f h o t b e e f broth, stir, and let simmer on low heat for 5 minutes; add the remaining broth and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes more, then add some pep- per. The total cooking time is between 18 and 20 min- utes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest covered for 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining but- ter and the grated Parmi- giano. Serve in a deep dish, sprinkled with extra Parmi- giano(Serves 6). LA BUONA TAVOLA RECIPES COOKING TIPS SEASONAL DISHES Risotto and polenta are pasta alternatives mushrooms. With risotto as a northern Italian staple, it's not unusu- al for Milan restaurants to have several pots going at the same time. Each is at a different stage of comple- tion, similar to steaks on a grill, so diners have to wait no longer than 10 minutes for an order. More often than not, it is partnered with osso buco alla Milanese, a classic veal number. A c c o r d i n g t o r e s t a u r a - teurs, risotto is requested twice for every 50 servings of p a s t a . I t i s p e r c e i v e d a s sophisticated, upscale food that must be cooked accord- ing to strict guidelines to maintain its integrity. A plate of traditional risotto alla milanese with ossobuco (veal shank) (Photo: Alp Aksoy/Dreamstime) OPEN 8AM - 5PM MONDAY TO SATURDAY. SUNDAY CLOSED

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